The Dishwasher Spray Arm Melted! (Fixed)

When a dishwasher spray arm begins malfunctioning, this can make it near impossible to wash the dishes in the appliance.

This is why users have to be careful when it comes to keeping the spray arm in good shape and well-maintained.

Keeping this in mind, it’s important to understand what to do if the dishwasher spray arm melted.

If the dishwasher spray arm melted, it is likely too loose and out of its place in the dishwasher. This causes the spray arm to drop a few inches and make contact with the heating element. To fix the issue, remove the dishwasher basket, inspect the spray arm’s positioning, tighten if it’s possible, or replace the spray arm.

This is a common issue when a dishwasher is moved to a new location. This can cause the spray arm to jolt out of its socket.

Another issue can be a lack of maintenance. If there’s enough debris on the spray arm, this can cause it to loosen.

This guide will provide a step-by-step assessment of what to do if the dishwasher spray arm melted in your appliance.

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Steps If The Dishwasher Spray Arm Melted

1. Take Out The Bottom Dishwasher Basket

If a dishwasher spray arm falls off, it is time to take out the dishwasher basket.

This will let you inspect the spray arm freely without worrying about anything getting in the way.

For the most part, you will notice the spray arm being in the wrong spot.

The first step to focus on will be to smoothly take out the basket. You will want to have complete access to both the spray arm and the heating element at the bottom of the appliance.

In most cases, the basket is going to come out easily.

Set it aside in a safe spot and then begin working through the spray arm and seeing what the issue is.

dishwasher spray arm melted

2. Check The Spray Arm

If the dishwasher spray arm melted, it is going to be noticeable right away.

The spray arm is going to be falling and it is not going to be in the right spot. This is a sign an immediate fix is required.

If not, you could have a bad situation on your hands where the spray arm is misaligned and going to get worse.

Look for potential debris on the spray arm if it is still in good shape.

Sometimes, it will not “melt” to the point of no return. If you feel it can be salvaged then look to see how loose it is and whether or not it has to be cleaned.

3. Clean & Tighten The Spray Arm

Now, you are going to take a clean cloth and begin wiping the spray arm.

This is assuming you are thinking about tightening the spray arm and putting it back into place.

If it is too damaged or has melted extensively then the only option is to replace the dishwasher spray arm that melted.

If it can be cleaned then that is the best way forward.

Clean everything and then tighten the component. This will ensure the spray arm is not going to fall back into the heating element as soon as you turn on the appliance.

dishwasher spray arm melted

4. Replace The Spray Arm (If Necessary)

Let’s assume you inspected the dishwasher spray arm and it appears to have melted aggressively.

What are you going to do then?

This is a difficult situation to be in.

You will want to start by taking out the spray arm and making sure everything around it has been wiped clean. This will ensure you can easily set up the spray arm and make sure it works out as intended.

You are then going to replace the spray arm with an equivalent replacement.

Final Thoughts

These are the steps you will have to focus on with a dishwasher spray arm that melted.

If the dishwasher spray arm melted, it is due to the part becoming loose and leaning into the heating element near the bottom. To fix the issue, remove the basket, inspect the spray arm for damage, clean off the debris, and re-tighten everything. If it is too damaged, the part will have to be replaced.

This can be inspected in detail when you take out the basket.

For the most part, you will likely have to replace the part. Excessive exposure to the heating element will ruin the spray arm to the point of no return.

However, if you caught it early then you will not have to change the part. Just tighten everything and set up a maintenance schedule to keep the spray arm clean.

This will be enough to take care of the issue.

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